The present invention relates generally to a user interface for a radio device, such as a portable mobile station operable in a cellular communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating hands-free operation of the radio device. A user actuator, connected to the circuitry of the radio device, is positioned external to the radio device to be easily accessible by a user of the device when the device is operated in the hands-free mode. The user actuates the actuator to initiate three-call calling operations, such as a call-waiting feature.
The use of multi-user, radio communication systems has achieved wide popularity in recent years as advancements in communication technologies have permitted the affordable utilization of such communication systems by large numbers of users to communicate therethrough.
A radio communication system, like other types of communication systems, is formed, at a minimum, of a sending station and a receiving station interconnected by way of a communication channel. In a radio communication system, the communication channel is formed of a radio communication channel. A radio communication channel is defined upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. In contrast, in a wireline communication system, the communication channel includes a wireline connection interconnecting the sending and receiving stations. Because a radio communication channel is used to communicate communication signals between the sending and receiving stations, a conventional wireline connection, required in a wireline communication system is not required to interconnect the sending and receiving stations to permit the effectuation of communications therebetween. The use of a radio communication system to communicate therethrough, as a result, is of particular advantage when formation of a wireline connection between the sending and receiving stations would be inconvenient or impractical.
A sending station of a radio communication system is operable to convert information which is to be communicated to the receiving station into a communication signal of characteristics which permits its communication upon the radio communication channel. To convert the information into such a communication signal, the sending station modulates the information signal upon a carrier waver of a carrier frequency within the range of frequencies which defines, at least in part, the communication channel. To convert the information into such a communication signal, the sending station modulates the information signal upon a carrier wave of a carrier frequency within the range of frequencies which defines, at least in part, the communication channel. A radio device which provides both a sending station and a receiving station at a common unit is sometimes referred to as a radio transceiver. Two-way communication is permitted through the use of a radio transceiver.
A cellular communication system is exemplary of a multi-user radio communication system, usage of which has achieved wide popularity in recent years. A radio transceiver operable in a cellular communication system is sometimes referred to as a mobile station. The mobile station is utilized by a user to communicate therethrough. Mobile stations are generally constructed to mimic operation of a conventional telephonic station operable in conventional wireline, telephonic network. Because, however, telephonic communication can be effectuated by way of a radio channel without the need for the formation of a wireline connection, telephonic communications can be effectuated through use of a cellular, or other radio, communication system.
Many mobile stations are of physical dimensions permitting the radio circuitry thereof together with a portable power supply to be housed within, or mounted to, a handset housing carriable by a user of the mobile station. Typically, the housing includes opposing end portions of which a first end includes a speaker element and second end portion includes a microphone. During use of the mobile station, the user positions the mobile station such that the speaker is positioned proximate to the user""s ear and the microphone is proximate to the user""s mouth. Telephonic communication is effectuated as the user is able both to listen to aural signals generated at the speaker and to speak into the microphone of the mobile station.
The requirement that the user hold the mobile station proximate to the user""s ear and mouth, however, can, at times, be inconvenient to the user. For instance, when the user is driving a motor vehicle, the need to hold the mobile station during its use sometimes becomes a cumbersome task. Also, during extended use of the mobile station, the need to continuously hold the mobile station can be tiring to the user.
Headset assemblies are sometimes used to obviate the need of the user to hold the mobile station proximate to the user""s ear and mouth during a communication session. The headset assembly typically includes a speaker element and a microphone connected by a cable, or other communication path, to the circuitry of the mobile station housed at the housing of the mobile station. Support structure which supports the speaker element and the microphone is worn by the user, typically supported on the user""s head. The user is thereby able to use the mobile station to communicate therethrough without holding the mobile station during its operation in a communication session.
While use of a headset assembly advantageously obviates the need of the user to hold the mobile station during a communication session, the user is sometimes still required to access the mobile station during a communication session. For instance, some service subscriptions for service in a cellular communication system provide for xe2x80x9cthree-callxe2x80x9d conversations. An exemplary three-call conversation is a xe2x80x9ccall-waitingxe2x80x9d feature. In a call-waiting feature, when a user is involved in an ongoing communication session, and another call is to be terminated at the mobile station, the user of the mobile station is provided with an indication of the additional call. The user is able to place the first, ongoing communication session in a xe2x80x9con-holdxe2x80x9d status and effectuate a second communication session associated with the second call.
Typically, although the user is able otherwise, through the use of a headset assembly, to operate the mobile station in a xe2x80x9chands-freexe2x80x9d mode of operation, the user is still required to access the mobile station to switch between communication sessions. The existing requirement to access the mobile station to initiate the switching between communication session obviates part of the advantage associated with operating the mobile station in the hands-free mode.
If a manner could be provided by which better to facilitate such transfer without necessitating user access of the mobile station, improved convenience of operation of the mobile station would result.
It is in light of this background information related to radio communication systems that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides a manner which facilitates hands-free operation of a radio device, such as a portable mobile station operable in a cellular communication system.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, three-call calling operations, such as performance of a call-waiting feature, is able to be performed by a user of the radio device in a manner more convenient than that conventionally required to perform such operations. Increased convenience of use of the radio device results.
In one aspect of the present invention, a user actuator is provided which is actuable by a user to initiate effectuation of an action related to a three-call system includes a subscription for three-call calling operations, such as a call-waiting feature. The user actuator is actuable by a user of the mobile station to switch between a first communication session, i.e., a first call, and a second communication session, i.e., a second call.
Actuation of the user actuation for a brief time duration, for instance, places the first communication session in an xe2x80x9con-holdxe2x80x9d status and switches the active-communication session to the second communication session. Upon actuation of the user actuator for a lengthier time period, the first communication session is terminated and the second communication session becomes the active communication session.
User actuation of the user actuator when the mobile station is not party to an ongoing communication session, for instance, initiates a mobile station-originated call. The mobile station-originated call is placed, e.g., to a calling station associated with a last-entered number. In this implementation, actuation of the user actuator causes a memory location to be accessed at which the last-entered dialing number is stored. The number is retrieved and used in a call initiation procedure.
When the first communication session is placed in an on-hold status, subsequent actuation of the user actuator for a brief actuation period places the second communication session on an on-hold status and the mobile station becomes party to the first communication session again. User actuation of the user actuator for an elongated time period terminates the second communication session and returns the mobile station to be party to the first communication session.
By positioning the user actuator at a location convenient to the user of the mobile station rather than directly at the mobile station, increased convenience of use of the mobile station is permitted when operated in the hands-free mode.
In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for a portable radio device operable in a radio operation. The user actuator is connectable to the circuitry of the radio device but is carriable separately by the user along with carriage of the radio device. The user actuator is thereby positionable at a location more convenient for the user to access, and thereafter actuate, than user actuators affixed directly at the radio device and conventionally required to be actuated to initiate performance of the three-call calling operation.
In another aspect of the present invention, the user actuator is coupled to form a portion of a headset assembly which is connectable to the radio device. The headset assembly permits, generally, hands-free operation of the radio device to which the headset assembly is coupled. The headset assembly includes a speaker element and a microphone together with a support assembly permitting the user of the radio device to wear the headset assembly. The speaker element and microphone are coupled to radio circuitry of the radio device, such as by way of a cable connection. A wireless connection, such as a Bluetooth, or IR (infrared) connection, alternately connects the headset assembly with the circuitry of the radio device. The user actuator is analogously also coupled to the circuitry of the radio device in the same manner as the manner by which the speaker element and the microphone of the headset assembly are coupled to the circuitry of the radio device. In an implementation in which the headset assembly is connected to the radio device by way of a connecting cable, the user actuator is positionable, e.g., to be affixed, by way of an affixing mechanism, to a shirt pocket of the user while the speaker element and microphone of the headset assembly are positioned proximate to the user""s mouth and ear, in conventional manner. By positioning the user actuator at the shirt pocket of the user, or at any other convenient location, the user actuator is accessible by the user to permit actuation of the user actuator when desired.
In one implementation, the user actuator is connectable to a mobile station operable in a cellular, or other radio, communication system. A service subscription for service in the cellular, or other radio, communication communication system to communicate with a remote station. The radio device has radio circuitry housed at a radio housing. Use of the portable radio device by the user is facilitated during operation of an embodiment of the present invention. A user actuator is connectable to the radio device to form a portion thereof. The user actuator is separably carriable by the user along with carriage of the radio housing and the radio circuitry housed thereat. The user actuator is actuable by the user upon application of an actuation force thereon. Actuation of the user actuator selectably effectuates a selected communication session by way of the portable radio device.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.